Recreational fishing has been around as long as commercial and subsistence fishing. The most common form of recreational fishing is done with a rod, reel, line, hooks and a wide range of baits and fishing lures. Most fishing lures have hooks dangling from a body that has been carved or painted to look like fish or objects that attract the fishermen's prey.
The hook is generally large enough to cut through and dangle live bait such as earth worms or other smaller fishes so that the intended prey would be attracted to it. Once a prey bites onto the bait, the sharp end of the hook will tear through its mouth from within, preventing it from escaping.
One of the downsides of this type of hook is that it is always dangling downward, especially when carrying bait. Since recreational fishing happens mostly along rivers or over lakes, it is quite easy for the hook to accidentally latch onto objects other than an actual fish. Rocks, pebbles, branches and tree trunks can easily trap the sharp end of the hook, especially when the above objects are being carried by a strong current. Moreover, fishes tend to hide around these objects, so the fishermen generally are being forced to cast their fishing lines near them.